Arc browser review: Features, Pricing, and 2026 Status Explained

This arc browser review covers a free web browser made by The Browser Company, built around vertical tabs and a workspace system called Spaces instead of the usual horizontal tab bar.

It runs on Mac and Windows, with a separate mobile app called Arc Search for iPhone and Android. As of 2026, it's usable but no longer under active feature development.

What is Arc browser

Arc is a Chromium based browser, which means it shares the same underlying engine as Chrome, Edge, and Brave.

According to Wikipedia, the browser was founded by Josh Miller and Harsh Agrawal and has been owned by Atlassian since 2025. What sets it apart isn't the engine, it's the layout.

Instead of tabs running left to right across the top, Arc puts them in a vertical sidebar you can show or hide.

Around that sidebar, Arc adds a few ideas most browsers don't touch: Spaces for separating different areas of your browsing (say, work versus personal), automatic tab archiving so old tabs don't pile up forever, and a single command bar that replaces the traditional address bar.

In practice, this arc browser layout takes some adjusting to. People who've spent two decades clicking a tab at the top of the screen tend to reach for it out of habit, at least for the first week or two.

Is Arc browser still being developed in 2026

No, not in the way it once was. In May 2025, The Browser Company said it was stepping back from adding new features to Arc and putting its attention into a different product, an AI focused browser called Dia.

According to The Verge, the company cited Arc's complexity and lack of mainstream adoption as reasons for the shift, while confirming security and Chromium updates would continue.

Atlassian acquired The Browser Company in October 2025, and that acquisition didn't change

the direction. Dia is the product getting active investment now.

What this means for Arc specifically: it's in what's usually called maintenance mode. It still opens, still runs Chrome extensions, and still receives Chromium engine updates along with security patches.

What it doesn't get anymore is new functionality. No new features, no redesigns, no updated roadmap.

There's no announced date for it to stop working altogether, but there's also no commitment that support continues indefinitely.

If a workflow depends heavily on Arc's account sync running smoothly for years to come, that's worth factoring in.

Key features of Arc browser

Vertical tabs and Spaces

Tabs sit in a sidebar on the left rather than a row at the top. Spaces let you group tabs by context, for example a "Work" space and a "Personal" space, and each space can carry its own set of pinned tabs.

You switch between spaces with a keyboard shortcut or a click, and the rest of your browser reshapes around whichever space is active.

Auto-archiving of tabs

Left-open tabs that you haven't touched in a while get moved into an archive automatically, on a schedule you set. They're not deleted, just tucked away, and you can search through the archive if you need something back.

For people who leave forty tabs open and never close any of them, this is one of the more genuinely useful arc browser features, since it keeps the sidebar from turning into a wall of unreadable titles.

Command bar instead of an address bar

Arc doesn't show a traditional address bar by default. Instead, a keyboard shortcut opens a search style popup that handles typing a URL, searching the web, or finding something in your history, all from one field.

It takes getting used to, but once the shortcut is memorized it's not much slower than typing into an address bar directly.

Arc Search and Browse For Me on mobile

The mobile version, called Arc Search, is a separate app rather than a scaled-down copy of the desktop browser.

It's built around fast one-handed use: a bottom toolbar, quick access to favorites, and a feature called Browse For Me that pulls together a summary of a topic from multiple sources, with links back to where the information came from.

Built-in ad and tracker blocking

Arc blocks most ads, third-party trackers, and cookie consent popups by default, without needing a separate extension installed.

Arc browser on different platforms

Arc launched on Mac first, which is still where it feels most complete. The Windows version arrived later and caught up on most core features, though some settings still require navigating to a dedicated settings page rather than a built-in menu.

Arc Search, the mobile counterpart, is available for both iPhone and Android, though it functions as a lighter, separate app rather than a full mirror of desktop Arc, and account sync between desktop and mobile has had rough edges historically.

Platform	Availability	Notes
macOS	Full Arc browser	Original platform, most complete feature set
Windows	Full Arc browser	Caught up to near feature parity with Mac over time
iPhone (iOS)	Arc Search app	Separate, simplified app, not a full desktop mirror
Android	Arc Search app	Separate, simplified app, matches the iOS version
Linux	Not available	No official release, none announced

Pros and cons of Arc browser

Advantages of Arc browser review

• Vertical tab and Spaces layout genuinely helps with managing a high number of open tabs
• Automatic tab archiving cuts down on sidebar clutter without permanently losing pages
• Built-in ad and tracker blocking without extra extensions
• Arc Search offers a fast, streamlined mobile browsing experience
• Free to use, with no subscription tier or paid feature gate

Limitations

• No longer receiving new features, only security and Chromium updates
• Learning curve is real, especially for anyone used to a standard horizontal tab layout
• Requires signing into an account to use the browser, which some people find unnecessary for a browser
• Cross-device sync between desktop and mobile hasn't always been reliable
• No Linux version, and no indication one is coming

Is Arc browser free

Yes. Arc browser and the Arc Search mobile app are both free to download and use, with no subscription tier and no premium features locked behind a paywall.

The Browser Company has stated its business model isn't built around selling user data or charging for the browser itself.

Exactly how the company sustains that model long-term, especially now under Atlassian's ownership, isn't something that's been laid out in detail publicly.

Is Arc browser safe and private

Arc includes a built-in ad blocker and tracker blocker, and the company's privacy policy states it doesn't sell user data.

That said, using Arc requires signing into an account, which is not the norm for most browsers, and the browser does send some analytics and diagnostic data back to the company as part of normal operation.

There isn't a way to fully opt out of that without adjusting settings at the network level. None of this is unusual for a modern browser, but it's worth knowing going in if account-free, fully local browsing is the priority.

Who Arc browser is best suited for

Arc tends to suit people who keep a lot of tabs open and want a system for organizing them, rather than people looking for the fastest possible transition from their current browser.

Teams and individuals who've tried it commonly report that the first week involves some friction, mostly around unlearning habits tied to a standard tab bar, and that it either clicks after that adjustment period or it doesn't.

Someone who mainly wants a browser that looks and works like what they already know is probably better served elsewhere, particularly given that Arc is no longer being actively developed.

Arc browser review vs other browsers

Arc, Vivaldi, Brave, and Edge are all built on the Chromium engine, so raw page-loading speed is broadly similar across them.

Where they differ is in approach. Vivaldi leans into deep customization, letting users adjust nearly every part of the interface.

Brave leans into privacy as its core pitch, with aggressive tracker blocking by default. Edge sticks closer to a conventional layout while adding Microsoft-specific integrations.

Arc's distinction is the vertical tab and Spaces system, plus the fact that, unlike the others, it's not currently receiving new feature development.

Anyone comparing these options today would be weighing Arc's organizational layout against the reality that Vivaldi, Brave, and Edge are all still being actively built out.

Arc browser review: conclusion

Arc browser offers a genuinely different way to organize tabs through vertical layout, Spaces, and auto-archiving.

It's free and still functional in 2026, but development has shifted to Dia, so anyone choosing Arc today is choosing a finished, frozen tool rather than a growing one.

Arc browser review summary

This arc browser review comes down to one trade-off: a distinctive, well-organized layout on a product that's no longer being actively developed.

Worth trying if the organization system fits how you work, worth skipping if ongoing feature development matters most.

Frequently asked questions

What makes Arc different from other browsers

Arc replaces the standard horizontal tab bar with a vertical sidebar and adds Spaces, a way to group tabs by context. It also archives inactive tabs automatically and uses a command bar instead of a fixed address bar.

Does Arc browser sync across devices

Yes, Arc supports syncing between desktop and the Arc Search mobile app through an account, though sync reliability has had inconsistent reports from users over time.

Is Arc browser available on Android

Yes. Arc Search, the mobile version of Arc, is available for both Android and iPhone as a separate, simplified app from the desktop browser.

Is Arc browser good for beginners

It can work for beginners, but it comes with a learning curve since the layout differs from most browsers people already know. It tends to suit users willing to adjust habits over a week or two.

Does Arc browser have extensions

Yes, Arc supports Chrome Web Store extensions since it's built on Chromium, though syncing installed extensions across multiple devices hasn't always worked consistently.